Pledge to rectify defects at Taman Ketiau apartments
25/05/2007 Daily Express Sabah
 
Kota Kinabalu: Tabung Projek Perumahan Termampu (TPPT) Sdn Bhd has promised to rectify any defect detected at the Taman Ketiau apartments, one of its three projects in Sabah, which became a subject of complaint recently.

Its General Manager (Development & Technical) Mohamed Fadzil Emby, in giving the assurance, said inspection showed there are no less than 35 apartments with defects but that only five of them require major rectification.

"However, none of these involves a defect on the apartment's main structure, as they are mainly cracks and so on which can be rectified," he told a press conference to announce the soft launching of its third project, Taman Putera Perdana, in Telipok, at its Sabah branch office at Api Api Centre, here, Thursday.

Its Senior Credit & Marketing Manager, Chong Ching Wai, and Sabah Branch Manager, Abdul Aziz Salleh, were among those present.

Mohamed Fadzil was asked about the problems raised by residents at the 938-unit Taman Ketiau apartments in Putatan, the company's first project in Sabah, which was completed and obtained its Occupancy Certificate (OC) about two years ago.

About 60 per cent of the apartments have already been occupied.

The problems were raised by Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister, Datuk Yahya Hussin, who visited the site on May 17 to check on various complaints received from the residents that their apartment walls were cracking, leaking, no fencing surrounding the area and also no safety patrol.

Yahya, who is Petagas Assemblyman, said an action committee would be set up to look into the problems faced by the residents. The committee would include officers from his Ministry and the Penampang District Council as well as consultants appointed by TPPT Sdn Bhd.

On the cause of the defects, Mohamed Fadzil said those apartments where the defects were detected had actually just been occupied after having been empty for about two years.

It is considered normal if an apartment is left unoccupied for such a long period, with all the windows and doors never opened, plus the changing weather something including a defect is likely to happen, he said.

Nevertheless, he assured that the defects do not involve the building structure and that TPPT will not run away from its responsibility to rectify the defects.

"I would like our house buyers to know that we will not run away from our responsibility to rectify any such defects, we will continue to be here," said Mohamed Fadzil.

On the cost that will be incurred, he said they would be waiting for the independent body, namely the Penampang District Council, to submit a complete report on the matter to know the extent of what they need to do to rectify the problem.

"I am confident the process of rectifying the defect problem will not take a long time," he said. For a house that is already completed and occupied, he said rectification on any defect on the house would only be borne by the company once.

On the other problems of no fencing surrounding the area and no safety patrol, Mohamed Fadzil said TPPT officials would be holding a discussion with the residents there on this matter.

The action committee is expected to make a follow-up visit to the Taman Ketiau apartments on Monday (May 28) at 2pm.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Fadzil is inviting the public to the soft launching of the show house of Taman Putera Perdana Phase 1B (Ixora) project on Saturday (May 26) at 9pm.

The project, covering about 47 acres land at Km 22.5 of Tuaran Road, involves the construction of 548 units of double-storey terrace houses, semi-detached terrace houses and double-storey shophouses.

About 30 per cent of the units under its Phase 1B have been sold out so far, he said.

TPPT is a housing developing company given the responsibility by Bank Negara to manage the Low-Cost Housing Revolving Fund Scheme (TPPKR). TPPKR is a fund allocated by Bank Negara in the form of loans for financing the construction of housing, especially for locals from the lower- and medium-income groups.

TPPT would be constructing about 2,500 housing units altogether through its three projects, including Taman Putera Perdana.